Professor Layton vs. Ace Attorney

Capcom, no stranger to crossover video games, teamed with Level-5 to create Professor Layton vs. Gyakuten Saiban, or Professor Layton vs. Ace Attorney, an upcoming adventure for Nintendo's 3DS. While details are scarce, early footage and info point to this title being the best of both worlds, giving longtime fans the chance to see two of gaming's best intellectuals in action.

From what we've heard, the game takes place in an alternate universe in the medieval inspired Labyrinth City; how Layton and Phoenix Wright wind up there remains to be seen.

Turns out, the place has fallen under the spell of witches, controlled by a villain known as the Story Teller, who apparently causes horrible things to happen by simply drawing stuff in his sketchbook.

At one point, Professor Layton accuses a young woman of being a witch (she becomes central to the plot), only to get interrupted by Wright, who strongly (in typical Wright fashion) objects.

From there, the powerful twosome set off to uncover the mystery and put a stop to the evil. What's interesting, though, is Capcom and Level-5's approach. Instead of shoehorning both characters into a different genre (a third person shooter, for instance), you'll experience trademark gameplay from both franchises. As such, expect to solve challenging brainteasers as Professor Layton and his loyal assistant, Luke Triton. Then, you must defend accused witches in court as Phoenix Wright.

Meanwhile, you'll experience the story through fully voiced and animated cut scenes, a staple of the Professor Layton series, but a first for Capcom's Ace Attorney games.

So here's the bad news. As sweet as this game sounds, it's a Japan only release, at least for now. On the positive side, three Layton games have made it to the U.S., along with five Ace Attorney titles, so there's a great chance that Capcom will bring Professor Layton vs. Ace Attorney stateside. Look for an official announcement at this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) this June.